Multiple speed drive means for strip stock feeding apparatus



Oct. 25, 1966 B. E. BARINGER ETA!- 3,281,041

MULTIPLE SPEED DRIVE MEANS FOR STRIP STOCK FEEDING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 23, 1964 INVENTORS MARVIN A. HOLE JOHN A. HUBER BERLYN EBAKINCEE AT TORIVE YS Oct. 25, 1966 B. E. BARINGER ETA!- 3,281,041

MULTIPLE SPEED DRIVE MEANS FOR STRIP STOCK FEEDING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, 1964 I NVENTORS HOLE MARVIN A JOHN A. HUBER BY BERLYN E. BARINGER g- Z E W 'j ATTORNEYS Oct. 25, 1966 B. E. BARINGER ETA!- 3,

MULTIPLE SPEED DRIVE MEANS FOR STRIP STOCK FEEDING APPARATUS Filed April 23, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVE T R5 MARVINA.H L

JOHN A. HUBER BY BERLYN E. BARINGER A T TORNE Y5 MULTIPLE SPEED DRIVE MEANS FOR STRIP STOCK FEEDING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 23, 1964 R O A S mHEB U U MAHE d, m .N [W Y n L RNR A A E MNB I w M Oct. 25, 1966 BARlNGER ETAL MULTIPLE SPEED DRIVE MEANS FOR STRIP STOCK FEEDING APPARATUS Filed April 23, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H m RmRm s THBB E m .J? N vA m W mN T W VI T m m MwB 1 Y B m United States Patent MULTIPLE SPEED DRIVE MEANS FOR STRIP STOCK FEEDING APPARATUS Berlyn E. Baringer and Marvin A. Hole, Livonia, and

John A. Huber, Birmingham, Mich., assignors to Coilfeed Systems, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 361,980

9 Claims. (Cl. 226-115) This invention relates generally to the strip stock feeding art, and more particularly to a novel and improved dual speed strip stock, stock-length feeding machine.

It is a common practice in the sheet metal working art to feed strip stock material into power operated punch presses, shears and the like by means of power operated feeding machines which are adapted to feed predetermined lengths of the strip stock from a coil of such material. A disadvantage of the prior art strip stock feeding machines is that they are not capable of accurately feeding the strip stock at high speeds while maintaining required accuracies in lengths of feed for each feed cycle.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved strip stock feeding machine adapted to accurately feed predetermined lengths of strip stock with a dual speed feeding cycle wherein the stock is fed at a high speed for the majority of the feeding cycle and at a low speed for the remaining portion of the feeding cycle. The dual speed feeding machine incorporates a dual power flow path from a power source wherein the machine is driven at high speed through one of said power flow paths and at said low speed through the other of said power flow paths which incorporates a novel balance or flywheel apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved strip stock feeding machine which is compact in construction, efiicient in operation and economical of manufacture.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved strip stock feeding machine which is adapted to feed a predetermined length of stock at two different speeds during a feed cycle and which is provided with an eflicient brake means mounted on the power feed roll to positively decelerate and stop the feed rolls to provide accurate feed lengths of material.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a stock-length feeding machine made in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are fragmentary, broken, enlarged elevational sectional views of the drive train structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 22 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows; 1

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged, horizontal sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 44 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

FIG. 5 is an elevational, partly in section, view of the braking apparatus employed in the illustrative embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, the numeral generally designates a dual speed, stock-length feeding machine which is adapted to re- 3,281,041 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 "ice ceive the strip stock material 11 from a prior strip stock processing machine such as a straightening machine and feed this material into punch presses, power operated shears and the like in predetermined lengths. As shown in FIG. 1, the strip stock material 11 enters the feeding machine 10 and advances through the anti-backup rolls 12 and 13 and then between the drive or feed rolls 14 and 15. The feed rolls 14 and 15 drive the strip stock material 11 through the measuring rolls 16 and 17 which are operatively connected to any suitable measuring means or electronic counter which controls the feed length, but which is not shown since it does not form any part of the present invention. The strip stock 11 is then advanced through the stock oiler rolls 18 and 19 and thence into the material processing machine such as a punch press, a power shear or the like. The present invention is directed to the feed or drive rolls 14 and 15 and, accordingly, the details of the other parts of the feeding machine have not been shown.

As shown in FIGS. '1 and 2, the feed roll 15 is provided with the end shafts 20 and 21 which are suitably journalled in the bearings 22 and 23, respectively, that are operatively mounted in a carrier frame generally indicated by the numeral 24. The feed roll carrier frame 24 is adapted to be brought between raised and lowered positions by means of the fluid cylinder generally indicated by the numeral 25 in FIG. 1. The details of the frame structure 24 and the fluid cylinder structure 25 have not been shown since they form no part of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the drive feed roll 14 is provided with a first end shaft 26 on which is fixedly mounted a drive gear 27 which is meshed with and drives the gear 28 fixedly mounted on idler drive roll end shaft 21. As shown in FIG. 2, the drive feed roll end shaft 26 is rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing 29 carried in the journal member 30 which is fixedly mounted in the housing Wall 31. The brake drum, generally indicated by the numeral 32, is also fixedly mounted on the outer end of the drive feed roll shaft 26 by suitable means, including the lock nut 33. The brake drum 32 includes the flange 34 which is adapted to be engaged by a novel braking structure shown in FIG. 5 and described in detail hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 2, the drive feed roll 14 is provided with a second, end shaft 35 which is rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing 36 mounted in the journal 37 which is fixed in a suitable aperture in the housing wall 38. The drive roll shaft 35 extends through the housing wall 38 and the outer end thereof is rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing 39 which is supported in the hosuing vertical wall 40. Fixedly mounted on the drive roll shaft 35 in a position intermediate the walls 38 and 40 is a driven gear 41 which meshes with and is driven by the pinion gear 42.

As shown in FIG. 3, the gear 42 is fixedly mounted on a shaft which has the ends 43 and 44 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 45 and 46, respectively, which are operatively mounted in the housing walls 38 and 40. A gear 47 is also fixedly mounted on the same shaft which carries the gear 42 and it is meshed with and driven by the pinion gear 48 which is fixedly mounted on the pinion drive shaft generally indicated by the numeral 49 in FIG. 3. The pinion shaft 49 is adapted to be driven at a high speed from a power source by means of a first power transmission system leading from the source of power and 3 at a low speed by means of a novel balance or flywheel apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 3, the drive pinion shaft 49 has one end thereof rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing 50, carried by the housing wall 40. This end of the shaft 49 extends through the housing wall 40 and rotatably sup ports the high speed clutch pulley 51 which is mounted thereon by a suitable bearing means indicated by the numerals 52 and 52a. The pulley 51 is adapted to be operatively connected and disconnected withthe shaft .49

'by means of a suitable pneumatically operated clutch means generally indicated by the numeral 53. The clutch 53 can be of any suitable type. As illustrated, the clutch 53 includes a clutch disc or plate 54, which is fixedly connected to the shaft 49, and contained in the clutch disc are friction inserts 54a which are adapted to be pressed against the clutch surface 55 on the pulley '51 by means of the circular piston 56. Fluid under pressure is adapted to be impressed against the clutch piston 56 through suitable conduits as 57 to force the friction inserts 54a into a driving friction engagement with the pulley surface 55. The outer end of the clutch means 53 is rotatably mounted in the bearing 58 carried in the housing wall 59.

As shown in FIG. 3, the gear shaft 49 is also adapted to be driven by the low speed drive clutch sprocket 61 which is rotatably mounted on the other end of the shaft 49 'by means of the bearing 62. This end of the shaft 49 is also rotatably mounted in the bearing 66 which is supported by the housing wall 38. As shown in FIG. 3, a pneumatically operated clutch means, generally indicated by the numeral 63, is operatively connected to the low speed drive sprocket 61 and has a portion thereof journalled on the gear shaft 49 by means of the bearings 69. The clutch 63 includes the clutch plate or disc 64 which is fixedly connected to the shaft 49, and contained in the clutch disc 64 are friction inserts 64a. The friction inserts 64a are forced into a driving engagement with the surface 65 on the sprocket housing 66 by means of the pressure plate or piston 67 which is moved into driving engagement by fluid under pressure admitted by a suitable conduit or passage as 68. It will be understood that any suitable clutch means may be employed.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the main drive high speed clutch pulley 51 is driven vby a belt 70 which in turn is driven by the pulley 71 which is fixedly mounted on the output shaft 72 of the transmission, generally indicated by the numeral 73. The transmission 73 may be any suitable transmission, as for example, a four-speed transmission having an input shaft 77 which is connected by the coupling 78 to the output shaft 79 of a suitable motor as a 25 horsepower motor, generally designated by the numeral80. Any suitable high speed electric motor may be used to carry out the function of the motor 80. The transmission 73 and the motor 80 are mounted on a suitable base member 74 which is secured to the machine wall 75 by a plurality of bolts 76. It will be seen that the electric motor 80 will drive the feed rolls 14 and 15 at a high speed when the clutch 53 is engaged.

As shown in FIG. 4, the electric motor 80 also drives a balance wheel or flywheel 91 during the high speed cycle of a feeding operation. The electric motor 80 is a double output shaft motor and the second output shaft 81 is provided with the drive pulley 82 which is adapted to be operatively connected to the shaft 81 preferably by means of an electric-clutch, as generally designated by the numeral 83. It will be understood that any suitable clutch will serve the function carried out by the clutch 83. As shown in FIG. 4, the drive pulley 82 is connected by means of the belt 84 to the driven pulley or sheave 85 which is fixedly connected to one end of the shaft 86. The shaft 86 is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 87 and 88 which are mounted on the support brackets 89 and 90 of the base member 92. The balance wheel 91 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 86 between the bearing members 87 and 88. The base member92 is secured 4 to the housing wall 93 by means of the bolts 94. The output end of the balance wheel shaft 86 is connected by means of the coupling 95 to the input shaft 96 of a suitable speed reducer, generally indicated by the numeral 97. The speed reducer 97 may be of any suitable type,

as for example, one made by the Link Belt Company and sold under model No. 1028.

When the high speed clutch 53 and the electric clutch 83 are inoperative because the high speed part of the feed cycle has been completed, the low speed clutch 63 is actuated to connect the shaft 49 to the low speed drive sprocket 61. As shown in FIG. 4, the speed reducer 97 is provided with the output shaft 98 on which is fixedly connected the drive sprocket 99. The drive sprocket 99 is connected by means of the drive chain 100 to the low speed sprocket 61 shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, the power driven feed roll 14 is provided with a dual braking system. The dual brakes are adapted to be operatively engaged with the brake drum 32 mounted on the shaft 26 of the drive roll shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 5, a slow-down braking mechanism, generally designated 'by the numeral 101, and a quick-stop braking mechanism, designated by the numeral 102, are operatively engaged with the flange 34 of the brake drum 32. Although the brake mechanisms 101 and 102 are shown as being mounted on the common drum 32, it will be understood that these braking mechanisms are entirely independent of each other and function at different times during the feed cycle. To aid the deceleration portion of the feed cycle, the roll brake 101 is energized when the drive means receives its slow-down signal from the aforementioned electronic control means, and it will remain energized throughout the slow-down and stop portions of a feed cycle. The second roll brake mechanism 102 will be energized when the drive roll and drive means receive a stop signal from the measuring means, and it will :aid in absorbing that amount of energy remaining in the feed mechanism when the slow feed clutch 63 is disengaged.

As shown in FIG. 5, the slow-down brake mechanism 101 comprises the inner and outer brake shoes 103 and 104 which are adapted to be frictionally engaged with the inner and outer sides of the drum flange 34 during the braking operation. The upper end of the brake shoe 104 is pivotally mounted 'by the pin 105 on the plate 106 which is fixed to the machine housing wall 31. The brake shoes 103 and 104 are connected to the brake operating lever 109-by means of the pins 107 and 108. The operating lever 109 is hingedly connected by the pin 110 to the yoke 111 which is fixed to the outer end of the fluid cylinder rod 112. The rod 112 is operatively mounted in the fluid cylinder 113 which may be of any sultable type, as for example, a pneumatically operated cylinder. It will be seen that when the cylinder 113 is operated so as to move the cylinder rod 112 outwardly, the brake operating lever 109 will function to frictionally clamp the brake shoes 103 and 104 against the drum flange 34 to slow the feed roll 14.

The brake mechanism 102 is constructed in the same manner as the slow-down brake mechanism 101 with the exception that the quick-stop brake interior brake shoe or band 103a is provided with the arm 114 which is pivoted to the anchor pin 105a at one end thereof and at the other end thereof is pivotally mounted by means of the pivot pin 115 to the upper end of the brake shoe 103a. The parts of the quick-stop brake which are the same as the slow-down brake have been marked with the same reference numerals followed by the small letter a. The brake shoes or hands 13a and 104a are so disposed relative to the drum flange 34 that a wedging action occurs between the drum flange 34 and the brake bands upon activation of the quick-stop braking mechanism 102. the drum'velocity and stopping is virtually instantaneous.

The aforedescribed dual speed, stock-length feed machine is adapted to be controlled, individually, and the As a result, braking is directly proportional to brake mechanisms 101 and 102 are adapted to be controlled individually and collectively by means of suitable electrical and hydraulic controls such as would be used by those skilled in the art. These controls are within the realm of selection by the skilled mechanic and no invention is obtained by using any of a variety of forms thereof which may be employed to accomplish the desired function in the proper sequence in any desired time relation. Accordingly, no detailed hydraulic or electrical control circuits have been shown with the exception of the brake cylinders shown in FIG. 5.

In operation, as the strip stock material 11 is fed through the feed machine, the measuring rolls 16 and 17 activate a control means (not shown) which controls the rotation of the feed rolls 14 and 15. When the drive rolls 14 and 15 are operating in a feed cycle, the high speed clutch 53 is in an operative condition and the low speed clutch 63 is in an inoperative position whereby the feed rolls 14 and 15 are driven through the high speed power path from the electric motor 80. During the high-speed portion of the feed cycle, the electric clutch 83 is also engaged so as to rotate the balance wheel 91 during the high speed portion of the cycle at a given and desired rate of speed.

When the length of stock advanced through the feed rolls approaches a predetermined dimension, the stock flow is decelerated in the following described manner. Upon a predetermined signal, the high speed clutch 53 and the electric clutch 83 are simultaneously disengaged and the low speed clutch 63 is engaged. The balance wheel 91 initially absorbs a portion of the high speed energy and then takes over the function of driving the feed rolls 14 and 15 and provides energy since the electric motor 80 is completely disengaged from the feed rolls. The feed rolls slow down from a high speed to a slow speed. For example, in the high speed cycle the strip stock material may be fed at the rate of approximately 250 feet per minute and then suddenly it is reduced to a strip stock feed of approximately feet per minute.

When the slow speed signal is given by the control means, the slow-down brake 101 is actuated. Upon a further signal, the quick-stop brake 102 is actuated to stop the feed rolls virtually instantaneously. The press or cut-oft mechanism is then activated thus ending a I feed cycle.

It will be seen that some of the energy in the high speed feed system is absorbed by the application of the low speed clutch 63 and by the balance wheel 91 and the brake 101. Experience has shown that the dual speed, stock length feed machine of the present invention is an efficient and accurate strip stock feeding machine.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment shows the power drive means of the invention connected to one of a pair of drive rolls, it will be obvious that in some instances it may be connected to more than one drive roll. The apparatus of the present invention is adapted to operate the drive rolls of a strip stock processing machine will great accuracy, as for example, in one embodiment, stock varying in width from 12" to 72" was fed and measured for cut-off of tolerances of plus or minus of an inch for stock lengths up to 100 long.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope of fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a strip stock feeding apparatus, the combination comprising: a power source; a plurality of strip stock drive rolls; a high speed power transmission system connecting said source of power and at least one of said drive rolls for conveying power to said one drive roll for driving the same at a high speed; a low speed inertia transmission system adapted to be alternately, connected to said power source when said one drive roll is connected to said high speed power transmission, and disconnected from said power source and connected to said one drive roll when the last mentioned drive roll is disconnected from the high speed transmission system; means operatively connecting said high speed power transmission system to said one drive roll; and, means for connecting and disconnecting said low speed inertia transmission system to said power source and said one drive roll in an alternate manner.

2. The strip stock feeding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said low speed inertia transmission system includes a balance wheel.

3. The strip stock feeding apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: said inertia transmission system also includes a speed reducing means.

4. The strip stock feeding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said means operatively connecting said high speed power transmission system to said one drive roll comprises a selectively operable clutch means.

5. The strip stock feeding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said means for alternately connecting and disconnecting the low speed inertia transmission system to the power source and said one drive roll comprises a pair of alternately operable clutch means.

6. In a strip stock feeding apparatus, the combination comprising: a power source; a plurality of strip stock drive rolls; a high speed power transmission system connecting said source of power and at least one of said drive rolls for conveying power of said one drive roll for driving the same at a high speed; a low speed inertia transmission system adapted to be alternately, connected to said power source when said one drive roll is connected to said high speed power transmission, and disconnected from said power source and connected to said one drive roll when the last mentioned drive roll is disconnected from the high speed transmission system; means operatively connecting said high speed power transmission system to said one drive roll; means for connecting and disconnecting said low speed inertia transmission system to said power source and said one drive roll in an alternate manner, and, a slow-up brake means operatively connected to said one drive roll for slowing the drive roll when said high speed power transmission system is disengaged from the drive roll.

7. The strip stock feeding apparatus as defined in claim 6, including: a stopping brake means operatively connected to said one drive roll.

8. The strip stock feeding apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein: said one drive roll is provided with a brake drum having a flange; and, each of said slow-up brake means and stopping brake means includes a pair of movable brake bands adapted to simultaneously engage said flange on the interior and external surfaces thereof and at oppositely disposed positions.

9. In a strip stock feeding apparatus, the combination comprising: a power source; a plurality of strip stock drive rolls; a high speed power transmission system connecting said source of power and at least one of said drive rolls for conveying power to said one drive roll for driving the same at a high speed; a low speed inertia transmission system adapted to be alternately, connected to said power source when said one drive roll is connected to said high speed power transmission, and disconnected from said power source and connected to said one drive roll when the last mentioned drive roll is disconnected from the high speed transmission system; means operatively connecting said high speed power transmission system to said one drive roll; means for connecting and disconnecting said low speed inertia transmission system to said power source and said one drive roll in an alternate manner; and, a stopping brake means operatively References Cited by the Examiner UNITED FOREIGN PATENTS 210,010 9/1956 Australia.

532,926 11/1956 Canada. STATES PATENTS Gron 5 M. HENSON, WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

Woods et a1 226-115 X A. N. KNOWLES, Assistant Examiner. Auer et a1. 226121 X 

1. IN A STRIP STOCK FEEDING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A POWER SOURCE; A PLURALITY OF STRIP STOCK DRIVE ROLLS; A HIGH SPEED POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM CONNECTING SAID SOURCE OF POWER AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID DRIVE ROLL FOR CONVEYING POWER TO SAID ONE DRIVE ROLL FOR DRIVING THE SAME AT A HIGH SPEED; A LOW SPEED INERTIA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM ADAPTED TO BE ALTERNATELY, CONNECTED TO SAID POWER SOURCE WHEN SAID ONE DRIVE ROLL IS CONNECTED TO SAID HIGH SPEED POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISCONNECTED FROM SAID POWER SOURCE AND CONNECTED TO SAID ONE DRIVE ROLL WHEN THE LAST MENTIONED DRIVE ROLL IS DISCONNECTED FROM THE HIGH SPEED TRANSMISSION SYSTEM; MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID HIGH SPEED POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM TO SAID ONE DRIVE ROLL; AND, MEANS FOR CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING SAID LOW SPEED INERTIA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM TO SAID POWER SOURCE AND SAID ONE DRIVE ROLL IN AN ALTERNATE MANNER. 